Tamperproof seal



May 9, 1933.

E. E. HOGG` l 1,908,245

TAMPERPROOF SEAL 4 'Fi'leNw 25. 1950 l BY/7/.S` ATTORNEYS @Mw/cz SMM and capable of replacement.

Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ica ON' EDWARD HOGG, 0F PABNASSU, PENNSYLVANIA, ABSIGNB T0 COMPANY 0F AMERICA, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, CORPORATION `Ol' PENNSYLVANIA Tmrmrnoor SEAL This invention relates to closures for bot-` tles and jars and the like, more particularl so-called tamperroof closures, by whic I mean closures t e removal or attemptedl removal of which produces a visible effect indicating, when the closure, if removed,

is replaced, that the container has been rior devices of similar kind. Another ob- )ect is to provide a tamper-proof closure in which the effect evidencing .the removal amounts to virtual destruction ofa sealing part, leaving the closure proper uninjured Furt er objects are to provide a tamperproof closure having a sealing easily removable than the seals o a similar kind hitherto available, and to provide such a closure in which the structural features facilitating legitimate removal of the seal serve also to greatly enhance the visible effect reduced by unauthorized tampering with tlie seal.

With these objects in view and such others as will hereinafter appear or are incidental thereto, the closure of the present invention comprises a ca having a depending skirt to embrace the sides off the container around the openi of the latter, and a sealing band engaging t e lower edge of the cap and art of the container surface, and weakene at one or more places about its circumference,

' so that on removal or attempted removalof the cap,the band will break and ythereby give a permanent indication that the closure has been tampered with. In order to facilitate replacement of the cap after legitimateremoval and to insure a satisfactor closure of the container whenever desire the latter may be provided with screw threads on its surface about the opening,`

and the skirt of the ca p be of threaded form to engage .thethreads on the container. The weakened Vportions of the band, which is preferabl made of an easily rupturable mafV as thin aluminum, may bear terial suc art more Y ranged so. as to extend crosswisevor partially crosswise. ofthe band, and to'that end, may conveniently take theiform of vertical slits, sets of perforations, or the like, whichv will then serve to facilitate breaking the band or deforming it-when the cap is lunscrewed or otherwise tampered with.

One embodiment of the present invention, and a modification thereof, are shown in the accompanying drawing,in which:` Fig..1 is a side view of one form of lthe invention.

Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the construc-v tion shown in Fig. 1, but with-the cap and sealing band shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, with the closure cap partially removed.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a modified form' of the invention.

As shown Figs. 1l and 2, the closure cap 11 is positioned over the opening of a container 12, and has adepending skirt with threads 13 engaging-corresponding threads 14 on the outer surface of the container. In order to effect a liquid-'or air-tight closure, the cap is provided interiorly with means 15 of cork, rubber, compo gum, pulp board or other similar material normally used f or sealing the openinv in the container to which the cap is applied The outer surface of the container is also rovided with a circumferential flange or ri 16, disposed below the threads 14, and over which the annular sealing band`17 is positioned.

The sealing yband is made of thin, soft metal, such as aluminum, and has at its vupper edge an inwardl lextending shoulder 18 projecting over the ower ed e of the cap 11 and eng ing an encircling ad or ro- ]ection v19 with which the cap is provi ed.

another inwardly extending shouldery 20, en-

gagin the lower portion of the flange-16,

. is provided with a pair of vertically d slits 21 extending partially across-the but leaving intact Yportions of the latter im# The band 17 has also, near its lower edge,

mediately adjacent the edges thereof. By reason of these slits, .the sealing band, already ada ted to be torn or broken easily because o? the soft metal of which it is fashioned, is locally weakened to a substantially greater extent at those points. This weakening does not impair the utility of the band as a seal, the slits 21 being of such length as to leave intermediate portions of the band integrally connected at one or more points, as for instance at the upper and lower edge..l thereof as shown in Fig. 1. In this way, the normal condition ,of the sealed closure, wherein the cap 11 is screwed down over the container opening and the sealing band 17 compressed to lock the cap in position, may be maintained against such accidental jars, shocks, or slight blows as may arise in packing, shipping, storing, or other ordinary handlin of the filled container. On the other hand, if an unauthorized person attempts to remove, or does remove the cap 11 by unscrewing it, the band 17 will immediatel break near one or more of its "'25 locally-wea ened points, and will be bent or deformed outwardly as the cap is unscrewed, thereby giving a positive indication that the closure has been tampered with.

Fig. 3 shows a closure of the type illustrated in Fig. 1 after the cap 11 has been partially unscrewed during the act of removing it. It will beseen that lunscrewing the cap has in the example shown in Fig. 3, resulted in breaking the sealing band 17 at the point 22, between a slit 2l and the upper edge of the band, and has deformed theband by bending it outwardly throughout a substantial part of its circumference. In this manner, an immediate and unmistakable indication is given that the closure has been tampered with, and by reason of the rupture and bending of the band, restoration of the latter is rendered practically impossible; its mutilated condition serves as a permanent, inefaceable evidence of tampering.

On the other hand, when it is desired to open the closure for legitimate purposes, the sealing band may be easily removed by inserting the point of a'knife or other suitable instrument under an edge of the band and gently prying it out, whereupon it will break at or near its weakened portions; or the closure may be opened merely by unscrewing the cap with sufficient force to break the band automatically, as in the manner illustrated by Fig. 3. In this way the closure of the present invention is not only highly tamper-proof, as has been explained, but by virtue of its novel structure, may be removed by an authorized person with the utmost ease. c

-Y In the example shown in Fig. 3, unscrewing the closure cap has broken the sealing band at the up er edge of the latter, by reason of outwar pressure exerted by the edge of the cap and its bead when forcibly twisted out from under the overlapping portion of the band. It may frequently happen, because of the size or arrangement of the weakening slits, or because of non-uniform ity in the material of the band, or for some other reason, that removalV of the cap will completely sever the band, or will break it only at its lower edge and pull it off upwardly at the saine time. In either of these cases, as in the situation illustrated, removal of the cap deforms and mutilates the band in a manner tantamount to destruction so far as subsequent use is concerned.

In Fig. 4, a modified foi-1n of the invention is shown. Here the sealing band is weakened with perforatioiis, arranged in vertically disposed rows 23. An attemptto unscreW the closure cap will serve to break the band at points intermediate the adjacent perforations in oiie or more of the rows, so that mutilation and consequent evidence of tampering results. At the same time, authorized removal of the closure is facilitated, in the manner explained above.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction.`

herein illustrated and described but may be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit.

I claim:

l. A closure for bottles or other containers comprising a cup-like closure cap positioned about the opening of the container and adapted to be displaced-for removal therefrom, and a sealing band engaging a portion of the cap and a portion of the contaiiier surface and having one or more weakened portions for facilitating breaking of the band by displacement of the cap alone.

2. A tamper-proof closure for bottles or other containers comprising a displaceable closure cap having a depending skirt embracing the surface of the container adjacent the openingL thereof, and a sealing band engaging the lower edge of said skirt and a portion of the container surface and having one or more transverse slits adapted to locally weaken the band, said band being adapted to break on displacement of the cap thereunder, and said cap projecting above said sealing band when the parts are in container-closing position, tol afford access for displacing the cap to remove same and thereby effect rupture of the band.

3. A closure for bottles or other contain-` ing, and a sealing band engaging the lower edge of the said cap'and a portion of the containersurface, and havin one or more weakened portions for facilitating breaking of the band by displacement of the ca alone, whereby unscrewing the said cap e fects tamper-.indicating rupture of the band.

4. A closure for bottles or other containers having screw threads about their exterior surface adjacent the opening thereof, comprising a closure cap having a depending skirt internally threaded in conformity with the said screw threads and detachably screwed down over the said opening, and having an encircling bead on the exterior surface of the said skirt, and a sealing band engaging the said bead and a portion'of the container surface and having one ormore weakened portions for facilitating breaking of the band for the purpose specified, whereby unscrewing the cap automatically effects tamper-indicating rupture of the band.

5. A closure for bottles or other containers having screw threads about their exterior surface adjacent the opening thereof and having a circumferential fiange disposed below the said screw threads, comprising a closure cap having a depending skirt internally threaded in conformity with the said screw threads and detachably screwed down over the said opening, and a sealing band engaging the said circumferential flange and a portion of the said skirt and having one or more weakened portions disposed crosswise of the band and adapted to facilitate breaking of the latter by displacement of the cap alone whereby unscrewing the said ca eating rupture of the and.

tamper-proof closure for bottles or n other containers having a circumferential flange disposed about their exterior surface below the opening thereof, comprising a displaceable closure cap having a depending skirt engaging the surface ofthe container adjacent the opening thereof and above the said flange, and having an encircling bead on the exterior surface of the said skirt, and a sealing band engaging the said bead and the said ange and having one or more transverse slits adapted to locally weaken the band, said band being adapted to break on displacement of the cap alone for removal of the latter from the container.

In testimony whereof I hereto aix my signature.

EMERSON EDWARD HOGG.

effects tamper-indi- 

